Purple Lace
by Dawnrider
Summary: [repost] Fluffy one-shot of the plotless variety. enjoy!


This is just an edit of the same one-shot. I read through it a few times after posting it and said, "What on earth were you thinking! You didn't check for anything!" So I fixed as much as I could think of and have now reposted it. Aren't y'all excited? Probably not. Anyway, enjoy if you haven't read it before and enjoy it if you felt the need to read it again.

Disclaimer: I have never and will never own Inuyasha or the characters created in that world. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi, brilliant woman that she is. The plot is mine though. Wee nonexistent plot!

It was right there in front of him. Seemingly calling out to him as he watched it brush against pale skin. The purple lace peeking from the edge of the tank top just had to be calling his name, there was no other explanation for the way he felt drawn to it. She was asleep, completely oblivious to his staring and yet with each rise and fall of her chest he swore she was enticing him closer. He could even hear the sound of the fabric against her breast as she breathed deeply, his ears twitching with each near silent rustle. He wanted —no, needed— to stop himself from looking but no matter what inner dialogue he held, he could not force his eyes away. Couldn't stop himself from inching closer.

She had come knocking on the door that led from the back yard straight into his basement bedroom some time around ten thirty that night after having a particularly nasty fight with her mother. She "just had to get out of the house" and had come running to the only place she knew she could safely go without getting anyone else in trouble. He didn't mind one bit, but having her so close, sitting on his couch next to him with his arm draped around her bare shoulders was driving him to the edge of his control. And yet he couldn't make himself do the one thing that would solve his problem. Pull away.

He had put in a movie to get her to calm down and it had worked a little too well, putting her to sleep within fifteen minutes. His best friend was nestled against his side and he couldn't stop himself from having wild thoughts about the things his body wanted to do. He had just had a nasty break-up with his girlfriend, over the girl in his arms actually. There was no way Kagome would believe that he felt the way he did about her after so short a time. Not to mention she couldn't possibly feel that way about him. She had always tried to keep him and his girlfriend together but in the end it was because of her that they had broken up. There was no denying his feelings toward her and his girlfriend had seen it, recognized it for what it was. He wasn't saying it was Kagome's fault. She'd done nothing but be herself and try to keep him and Kikyo together. She obviously thought that would make him happy but the only thing that would truly make him happy was to hold this smooth-skinned, raven-haired, kindhearted beauty in his arms for the rest of his life.

Needless to say these kinds of thoughts scared even him as he had them. To not even have ever dated the girl and to somehow know without a doubt that he wanted to be with her forever was terrifying to the young man. His thoughts were interrupted as Kagome shifted in her sleep, curling tightly into the nook under his arm and against his torso. Her arm flung across her chest to grip his shirt in her small fist andto make matters worse, the action pressed her breasts together, right under the poor hanyou's nose. He panicked slightly, not sure how to make her move back so he wouldn't be further tempted to do what his instincts were demanding of him.

"Kagome," he whispered while gently nudging her. She only made a small whimpering noise and snuggled closer. He groaned internally, trying with all his might not to allow her proximity to waver his resolve but he wasn't doing so well. She released another whimper that sounded a lot like his name, a frown marring her beautiful face.

"Inuyasha… don't leave me," she mumbled in her sleep. He choked on his own saliva as the words reached his sensitive ears. Where was it she was dreaming he would possibly go? He gave her a light squeeze, hoping it would comfort and perhaps wake her. She mumbled incoherently for a bit before he caught four words that made his eyes go wide in shock. "Inuyasha…please…love you."

His breath caught painfully in his throat and he looked down at the top of her head. For a moment he refused to believe what he'd heard but there was no doubt about it. He'd heard what he had always hoped to hear from her lips but his face fell at an all too invading thought. She was asleep. Dead asleep and had no idea what she was doing or saying. For all he knew she might not feel that way in waking. He had to know.

"Kagome," he said more forcefully, shaking her at the same time. She gave a sleepy snort of surprise and her brown eyes opened blearily. After a moment her gaze cleared some and she looked up at his face, confusion and sleep still evident in their depths. She covered a yawn with the back of her hand and blinked a few more times before starting at how close Inuyasha's face was to her own. She didn't move away but gave him a quizzical look.

"Inuyasha? Oh… I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I'll go," she whispered in a rush when she realized what, she thought, he must have woken her for. He reluctantly released her as she stood but continue to stare at her. She turned to look at him when he didn't get up to see her to the door. "What's wrong? I didn't drool on you did I?" she asked with a slightly horrified look on her face. She worriedly wiped the corners of her mouth and came back to check his shirt for drool. He smiled quietly and took her wrist to stop her flurried movements. She tilted her head in confusion, silently asking him to tell her what was making him so quiet.

"Kagome…"

"What?" Instead of answering her he pulled her back onto the couch, eliciting a quiet squeak of surprise from her. He took a deep breath before looking into her eyes. She quirked an eyebrow at him, obviously— and with good reason— confused by his behavior. He hesitated for a moment more before finally speaking.

"Don't leave," he whispered. "You don't need to leave. I… I have to ask you a question." The two of them stared at the large masculine hand that still firmly held the much smaller one within its grasp. Kagome said nothing, waiting for him to try to figure out how in the hell to word his question.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome eventually pressed. He looked up into her deep, compassionate brown eyes, trying to gain the information he wanted from just her gaze. He saw confusion, anticipation and something else he didn't recognize but couldn't help but hope was love. Only one way to find out.

"Kagome, how do you really feel about me?" he blurted out. Her eyes went wide and she blushed immediately. He took that as, more or less, a good sign and pushed ahead to try to calm her apparent fear of him finding out whatever feeling she might be hiding from him. "Tell me. I promise I won't laugh at you, get angry or anything else I'm sure you're thinking I'll do."

They had talked about a similar situation before. When she had liked a boy at school she had come to him to ask for advice. She had explained her fear that the boy, Koga, would laugh at her, tease her endlessly or be disgusted if she confessed her attraction to him. Inuyasha, while trying to quash his possessiveness over his best friend, had told her that no guy could feel any less than honored to be the object of her affections. She had still been skeptical and had never told the boy anything. Inuyasha's elation at this had been well hidden with a well-placed roll of the eyes and a soft "Keh."

"I…uh… Inuyasha… I should get home. Mom will worry," she stuttered, blushing furiously. She stood, pulling her hand from his grip and nearly scrambling to the door. Inuyasha used his demon speed to dart in front of the exit and block her escape but did not grab her, not wanting to frighten her too badly. She froze in the process of grabbing her sweatshirt from the chair by the door and dropped the garment entirely. She was breathing rapidly, that pesky slip of purple lace rising and falling with each breath. The look on her face reminded him of a trapped animal and he tried to remove all traces of panic from his own features. He couldn't let her leave without explaining her feelings and he wasn't going to wait any longer to tell her his.

"Please tell me," he breathed. Her bottom lip quivered gently as she stood otherwise frozen before him. He took a few tentative steps closer to her, hoping to embrace her and calm her racing heart as well as his own and she did not budge from where she stood, her feet seemingly glued to the spot. He reached out and took one of her hands in his and used the other to softly brush her bangs from her eyes. He'd done the action so many times in their friendship that it normally meant nothing but somehow both of them knew that it was different this time. It was more tender, more heartfelt and, more than anything, it was a silent communication that he would readily accept whatever she would tell him. He heard her sigh softly before looking up into his golden eyes.

"I can't tell you that Inuyasha," she sniffled quietly. He shook his head slowly to deny her statement. Why was she being so stubborn about this?

"You can tell me anything, you know that." She took a shuddering breath and allowed him to take a step closer. He really wanted to kiss her in that moment but he had to hear her say it first before he would allow himself to give in to such a temptation. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a knock on the door. He frowned before looking over at the piece of oak that separated his room from the outside world. He hadn't heard anyone approach the back of the house but he had to admit that his ears had been completely trained on the girl in front of him. He grumbled some incoherent curse, dropping Kagome's hand and grabbing her sweatshirt from the floor— which actually happened to be one she'd stolen from him— handing it to her. For some reason he didn't want anyone else to see her without "proper" covering. She took it gratefully and slid it over her head without a word.

Approaching the door he took a brief sniff of the air and discovered that he really had been inattentive. It was pouring outside! No wonder he hadn't heard or smelt anyone arrive. But why he hadn't heard the storm in the first place he couldn't say. He unlocked the door and opened it cautiously; suspicious of anyone who would show up at his door after midnight that wasn't Kagome. Standing there was by far the last person he wanted or expected to see. Sopping wet in a slightly too large rain slicker was Kikyo, a small smile on her lips.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to let me in?" she purred. His brow crinkled slightly but he moved back to allow her into his room. She removed her wet shoes and the slicker before turning from the door. She and Kagome locked eyes and the sweet smile was replaced by an angry scowl. "What is she doing here?" Kagome looked more than a little hurt, face falling at the snapped question. She had always tried to be nice to Kikyo and be a friendly face but the other girl had never been receptive to it. She often wondered why she'd even bothered.

"I was just leaving," she said quietly, the suppressed tears apparent in her voice. She moved toward the door, preparing herself for the cold and wet half a mile walk home. Inuyasha saw what she was thinking and feeling plainly written on her face. She was angry, sad, and obviously frustrated. He could truthfully say he felt the same way. He grabbed a hold of her arm to stop her, surprising both her and Kikyo.

"No you weren't, you're staying the night. No way you're going out in the rain like that. I'll take you home in the morning." Kagome looked down as though taking in her sweat shorts and flip-flops for the first time. Kikyo gave a small pout but said nothing. Kagome silently begged him with her eyes to let her leave the uncomfortable situation but he gave a firm shake of his head and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the couch. She complied but he could tell she wasn't quite sure what he wanted her to do with Kikyo still there, glaring at her. Oh, Kikyo didn't think he knew how she was looking at Kagome, but he could see it out of the corner of his eye and he was NOT happy about it. He trained one fuzzy white ear on the girl on his couch even when he turned to face the other one standing by his door. His mother would not be pleased to know he'd had not only one, but two girls in his room tonight.

"I came to talk to you. I take it this is a bad time?" Kikyo said dryly. He raised an eyebrow at her tone but decided to ignore it. He honestly had no idea what she could possibly want to talk about, especially at this hour of the night. He motioned for her to sit on the chair by the door, which she took but with a pointed glare Kagome's way. She wasn't even trying to hide her dislike of his best friend now.

"What's up?" he asked, trying to sound jovial but pretty much failing. She raised an eyebrow at him then glanced meaningfully at Kagome. He nearly growled at the silent reprimand but restrained the urge, knowing Kikyo wouldn't give a rat's ass. "She can stay. Whatever you have to say she'll end up hearing anyway so you might as well save me the breath." He was proud of the cold tone of his own voice. A fair imitation of his brother if he didn't say so himself. He didn't want to have to be rude to Kikyo but the way she kept glowering at the back of Kagome's head and the sheer reason of their breakup made it hard for him to feel sympathetic toward her.

"See! That's why we fight! I can't talk to my own boyfriend without HER knowing about it," she shouted, shocking Inuyasha with her eruption. Kikyo was not known to have emotional outbursts of any kind. This was a much more heated version of the argument they had had just before they'd broken up but Inuyasha wasn't going to be pulled into it this time, start yelling like he knew she expected him to. He wouldn't feel guilty for his friendship with Kagome. Nothing about their friendship ever felt wrong and so it was hard for him NOT to tell her things that were going on in his life. The girl was his best friend for goodness sake! Kikyo had often conveyed her anger over the matter, complaining that she didn't trust Kagome. Inuyasha had boiled angrily about these statements of distrust throughout their relationship. Her distrust of Kagome meant she didn't trust him and now he thought she probably never really had.

"Kikyo, not so loud. You'll wake my mother," he said, crouching on the floor to sit back on his heels. "We've talked about this many times. I won't stop being friends with Kagome. She was nothing but supportive of our relationship the whole time. I don't understand how you can be so venomous toward her," he whispered.

"I thought I meant something to you! Something more than she did," she hissed as though the very girl she was talking about wasn't in the room. "I mean obviously I do if you're dating ME instead of HER." Inuyasha picked up the near soundless sob that came from the couch but didn't turn to acknowledge it. If he did he knew Kikyo would swoop in to ridicule and further insult Kagome.

"Well you and I are no longer together, are we?" he replied calmly. "What did you really come here for Kikyo?" She sat up a bit straighter and he raised an eyebrow at the glint in her usually emotionless brown eyes.

"I came to give you a second chance," she answered calmly. She said it as though it was obvious what his answer would be and she seemed completely thrilled with the idea of being able to say this in front of the other girl. He heard Kagome sharply intake her breath through her nose before holding it, awaiting his answer. His eyes hadn't left Kikyo's face and he continued to quirk an eyebrow at her.

"I don't need a second chance from you, nor do I want one. So if that's all you came to talk about then you should probably go home before the storm gets any worse. My mother wouldn't trust me ever again if I was caught with the two of you down here without her knowledge," he answered calmly. Much calmer than he himself had ever expected and, judging by the look on her face, very different from the response Kikyo had been expecting from him.

"W-wh-what?" she stuttered. Her eyes were wide in disbelief even as he gently encouraged her out of her seat, into her rain slicker and shoes then out the back door. She even stood outside the on the stoop for a moment after he'd shut and locked the door behind her. When she finally realized she was standing in the rain, she stamped her foot and headed to her car. She rivaled the thunderstorm with her own storming abilities as she went out of Inuyasha's hearing range and he gave a quiet sigh of relief when he heard her car start and pull out of his driveway.

He turned his attention back to his room and noticed Kagome staring at him over the back of the couch. He took a few steps forward, not sure what to do or say. She climbed over the back, nervously straightening her shorts as she slowly approached him. He could hear her heart beat over the soft patter of the rain outside and could smell the bitter tang of anxiety in her scent but he had to admit that he was no less nervous. He had made it clear that he was not getting back together with Kikyo and that Kagome indeed meant more to him than Kikyo ever could. He had tried before to get her to understand that he, hopefully, knew how she felt about him and that he was anything but offended or disgusted but she was still so doubtful of him.

The two stopped less than a foot from one another in the middle of the carpet. He reached across the space between them and took her hand in his again. He gave it a quick squeeze to reassure her that she now had his complete and undivided attention. He could feel her quaking through their connected hands and he felt the undeniable urge to rid her of her every discomfort, no matter what he had to do.

"You cold?" he asked, mentally smacking himself for how stupid that sounded. He knew she wasn't cold, he could feel the flush to her skin after all, but it had just slipped out. At her silent nod he pulled her over to the couch and quickly wrapped the knit blanket hanging over the back around her bare legs. His fingertips brushed the skin of her outer thigh in passing, causing them both to shiver. They locked eyes after that, gold meeting brown in stunned silence. With all the time they spent together, they had never been truly intimate. Obviously with one or the other of them dating other people and both of their adamant refusals to allow themselves to admit to the way they felt about the other, they had never let themselves be near like that. Hugs, kisses on the cheek in greeting or farewell and holding hands at random points of time were common for them but they had never allowed themselves to enjoy such actions as displays of romantic affection. That would have been too much to hope for.

"So you guys really are done?" she asked after a while, pulling her knees up to her chin. He nodded slowly as he sat next to her on the couch. They both scooted closer to each other, feeding off each other's warmth in the chilled basement bedroom. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She wasn't really sure why she was speaking in such a hushed tone but the darkness of his room and the quiet pattering of the rain seemed to merit it.

"Feh, don't be. It wasn't working out…"

"Because of me. I should have backed off…"

"Don't be stupid. Would you have given up our friendship for some guy?"

"No!" she gasped in muted horror. "I could never."

"Then how could you expect me to do it for her?"

"I…I don't know. I just figured that yours and Kikyo's relationship was more important to you than our friendship and I was willing to be alright with that if I had to," she confessed, looking down at her lap. He felt a pang in his chest at the very thought that Kagome had believed Kikyo to be more important to him than she was. He softly took her hands in his own, causing her to look up into his eyes.

"Don't ever think anyone is more important than you are. You and my mother are the most important people in my life." Kagome smiled shyly up at him as he stared at her with a confused look on his face. He'd shocked himself with that declaration. He wasn't one to admit how much someone, even his mother, meant to him aloud. Especially when that person happened to be right in front of him. "Anyway, I asked you a question earlier, before we were interrupted."

The words made her go visibly stiff and she instantly averted her eyes. She knew he could read her like no one else could and this was one of her classic mannerisms, showing him she was afraid to tell him. She did this when he asked her other serious questions that she knew the answers to would make him angry. Like if someone had been lying to him and she'd known or possibly if she'd taken the last Popsicle… Anyway, he knew she was avoiding trying to tell him and there was no way he was going to stand for it.

"Inuyasha…" she pleaded, trying to get him to drop the subject.

"Just answer the damn question Kagome."

"You… you wanted to know how I really feel about you?" He nodded. "You're my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone else. My family not included, but you are easily as important to me as they are." He restrained the growl of frustration that threatened to rumble in his chest. He knew that already. Granted it was nice to hear once in a while but that wasn't what he was looking for.

"Is that all?"

"Inuyasha…"

"Is it?" he demanded again. He wasn't going to back down until she told him one way or the other. By the end of this night he would know how Kagome honestly felt about him and he would tell her once and for all what he truly felt for her. So caught up in his own thoughts and the depth of her eyes, he barely heard her speak.

"No."

"Kagome, please tell me."

"I… your ears are cute," she blurted out while blushing and cringing, apparently afraid of his reaction to her confession. He blinked a few moments before it sunk in and he began to laugh. He stopped as abruptly as he'd begun when he saw the betrayed look in her eyes. He had promised he wouldn't laugh.

"I'm not laughing at you. I just didn't expect you to say THAT." She gave a small huff and once again turned her eyes away, using her bangs as a curtain. She wasn't getting out of it that easily. He placed his hand on her cheek in a gentle caress to bring her attention back to him. He felt something wet run down the side of his index finger to pool in the crook of his thumb and the sharp scent of tears filled his nose. He raised her eyes to his before leaning in and softly licking the tears away. The action had always made her smile or giggle before and hit him with something for "slobbering all over her." This time it only made her eyes go wide with apprehension and that same unnamed emotion he'd seen there before. "Don't cry Kagome. It's alright. I promise it's alright," he soothed quietly. Needless to say he was surprised by her reaction.

"No! It's not alright," she cried in a loud whisper, still conscientious of waking his mother. He sat back but didn't remove his hand from the damp yet smooth skin of her face. She clutched his hand to her cheek with both of her own, staring into his eyes. "It's not alright Inuyasha. I'm your best friend! I'm not supposed to feel like that about you. But there's nothing I can do about it. I'm sorry, but I love you, and every moment you spent with Kikyo nearly killed me inside. I tried to help you two out so maybe I could make myself get used to the idea but it never worked!" Inuyasha gave a small smile at the teary-eyed girl in front of him after he got over the shock of her outburst. She had never made any comment before but man was he glad she had now.

"I'm sorry Kagome. I didn't know it was that hard for you. You should have told me before." She shook her head, releasing his hand. "Really Kagome, you should have told me," he insisted. She shook her head more violently in denial, almost as though she was trying to shake his words from her mind.

"Why would I do something stupid to jeopardize our friendship? Huh? Honestly, if you weren't pressing it I still wouldn't have told you!" For such a smart girl she was really stupid sometimes. Kagome was one of those brainy characters but she was completely oblivious to some of the more basic things in life.

"You wouldn't have endangered our friendship, stupid girl. And I needed to know if what I thought was true." He leaned forward and brushed noses with her, calming her and exciting her at the same time. "Be with me."

"W-what?" she stuttered in surprise. "Inuyasha?"

"Be with me Kagome. Please." He didn't know how else to ask her and he wasn't very good at requests in the first place. She knew what he meant, she had to, but sometimes she liked to make sure he meant what he had said. "Don't just be my friend, you're so much more to me than that. You're mine," he said in a low growl, his instincts taking hold of his voice. He heard her sharp intake of breath and could smell the expectation in her scent. Obviously she was surprised at the words coming from him but she too felt the insane electricity running between them.

"Inuyasha, you don't know what you're saying," she whispered shakily. He growled a bit louder. Her self-doubt was starting to frustrate him. He knew she didn't believe herself to be pretty or worth anyone's time, too much of a brain or too busty but damn it he wanted her and he wouldn't let her low self-esteem get between them.

"Damn it Kagome!" he snarled, making her jump slightly in fright. "I do know what I'm saying. I've been thinking about this for months and I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore. I want you and now I know you want me too. Let's not deny ourselves any longer," he whispered the last part as his lips approached hers. She sat frozen before eagerly responding to his kisses and caresses. He smiled to himself, euphoria flooding his mind as his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He could taste her tears on her lips but it didn't cover the inherently sweet flavor of Kagome. He swore he could have kissed her forever and seemed to be intent on doing just that but they did have to breathe sometime.

"Inuyasha…" she groaned breathily. He smirked at her, which caused the fiery young woman to reach up and tweak his ear. He yelped in surprise more than pain at the physical reprimand. No one had ever tweaked his ears except his mother when he was younger and once in a while nowadays for good measure. She and Kagome were the only ones in the world allowed to touch them. Not even Kikyo had had that privilege during all the time they were dating.

"Kagome," he whined. "What'd you do that for?"

"Don't you smirk at me," she scolded playfully before leaning forward to kiss the offended ear. "But I'm sorry if I hurt you." He nearly moaned at the contact of her lips on the furry appendage. Her hot breath blew in and around his ear, which flicked instinctively away from her mouth. He looked at her in surprise and couldn't restrain the heat that flooded his veins. He almost began panting but stopped before he embarrassed himself. Did she not know what she did to him? He was putty in her hands and all she'd done was kiss his ear! If she wanted to play that game, he could play it just as well if not better. He internally smirked this time, not wanting another tweaked ear, then practically tackled her to kiss the spot at the curve of her neck. He instantly got the response he'd been hoping for as she released a breathy moan and a quiet whimper.

"How do you like it wench?" he growled playfully against her skin. She smacked his arm in reproof but it was halfhearted. He called her wench or bitch all the time so she was used to it by now but that didn't mean he always got away with it unscathed. He reassumed his tender assault on her throat and reveled in the quiet noises she was making as he kissed, licked and nipped at her pulse. Man she tasted fantastic! He didn't know how, but somehow her, or rather his, sweatshirt and the blanket that had been over her lap were gone and there was even more bare skin to explore. Then it was over for him. He saw that slip of purple lace once again peeking at him and he went after it without a second thought. That tiny bit of lace and the flesh it barely covered were pounced upon with a viciously affectionate zeal.

"Inuyasha…" he heard Kagome gasp. Just hearing her say his name like that made him almost instantly hard. Not that he hadn't been on his way there already. He left her chest and moved back up her throat until finally he met her lips again. He decided that kissing Kagome was his new favorite hobby of all time. No kiss with any other girl, Kikyo included, could ever measure up to the passionate caress of mouths he and Kagome were currently involved in. They eventually pulled away from one another but Inuyasha hadn't had enough yet. He loved the way her skin felt as he continued to nuzzle and kiss Kagome's throat. He could smell her getting aroused and he had passed that checkpoint long ago. He slowed down a bit, not sure they should be taking that step in their relationship just yet. But good god did he want to.

"Kagome…" he whispered against her pulse. "Kagome I love you." He didn't even realize what he'd said until he felt Kagome jerk in surprise. He looked up into her startled face and found that she was on the verge of tears. She reached up and placed a soft hand on the side of his face as he continued to watch her in anxious confusion.

"Oh Inuyasha… I love you too," she murmured as she kissed him again. He relaxed considerably and happily returned the kiss. He gasped himself when he felt her thighs on either side of his hips and her intense heat press against his own. He did pant then, not able to restrain himself. Kagome was breathing similarly heavy as their lips hovered millimeters apart. "Inuyasha, I don't know…"

"Shh… Don't worry. I…I won't do anything you don't want me to," he gritted out. Neither could look at the other, keeping their eyes shut as they pressed together, still not kissing. He wasn't sure how but he could feel Kagome chew on her bottom lip, trying to keep her emotions in. He was squeezing his eyes shut so tightly he was almost seeing light. He said he wouldn't do anything and she had sounded nervous but she was the one who suddenly crushed her thighs around him, pulling him even closer to her. He hissed at the sensation just as she breathed in and out haltingly.

"That's… not… the problem," she whispered between gasps as their hips instinctively rocked into one another. He couldn't help but wonder what they would be like in bed as he listened intently to her. If they were already like this while fully clothed... "Inuyasha… I… I don't want you to stop. I don't want us to stop." His eyes flew open to gaze into her impassioned and confused ones in amazement. She…she wanted to go through with this? With him? Granted they were practically half way there as it was, but for some reason it just hadn't really hit him until that moment. She really wanted him, all of him— heart, body and soul— just like he wanted her. He could see it in the pleading look in her deep brown eyes.

"Are you sure about this Kagome?" he asked, gasping when she flinched, the action tightening her thighs around him. "This is… a big step."

"I know," she replied, calming her heated emotions so she could concentrate. "But it just… feels right," she whispered just loud enough for his ears to catch it. He placed his palm on her cheek, bringing her averted gaze back to his intense amber one. He nodded that he believed the same thing. It felt like they were meant to be like this, like they had been fighting destiny their entire friendship.

"Alright Kagome. But you have to tell me if you change your mind." She nodded her agreement then slowly began to peel his University of Minnesota t-shirt off of him. She seemed increasingly nervous and jumped every time he breathed, as though afraid he would stop and reject her at any moment. Finally Inuyasha released a light chuckle and threw off the shirt himself. He waited for Kagome to calm down before he made any move to remove anything of hers, kissing her softly while her fingers ran over his back and waist. He bit her lip gently while kissing her, wanting to distract her enough to begin taking off the skintight tank top she wore.

Soon the origin of that purple lace was revealed, a light purple bra. Inuyasha gazed at it a moment, unsure of his mode of attack. Slowly he reached behind her and unclasped it, allowing her the time to make him stop. She buried her face against his shoulder, trying to hide her blush. Inuyasha smiled before leaning down to kiss the side of her face, drawing her out. Their kiss was fevered, demanding. The hanyou grinned as he felt Kagome pulling at his waistband until his bottoms were removed. Her hands fluttered over his arousal and he gasped. He felt himself rock sharply against her, trying to satiate his need. Kagome sighs filled his ears and he struggled to pull her shorts and underwear from her hips at the same time.

Lost were their misgivings. All was passion and fire now that they were here. Kagome felt Inuyasha thrust into her but instead of the dry thrusts of before he was suddenly inside her. She bit his shoulder to keep her scream inside but Inuyasha heard it. "Kagome?" She whimpered quietly with her eyes shut tightly. Inuyasha quickly realized what he had done and whined pitifully. "I'm so sorry. I forgot." His lower half stayed frozen while he gently licked and kissed her shoulder. She heaved a sob and it seemed he could only whimpered in response, his little white ears flat against his skull. He was big and he'd entered her so suddenly she hadn't had time to prepare at all. Swallowing her tears Kagome breathed deeply a few times, focusing entirely on his mouth in an attempt to ignore the fuzzy pain she felt. Quickly enough the burn began to dissipate and Kagome twitched her hips slightly to see if it still hurt. She watched Inuyasha bite back a moan, his ears shooting up and twitching like mad.

He felt horrible. He was enjoying where he lay too much while his love was hurting. All because of his enthusiasm. He'd been too eager and had impaled her without thought to her virginity and he'd hurt her because of his impatience. The moment her hips moved sensation exploded all over him and he had to bite his lip to keep from thrusting in response. Then her soft laugh echoed in his ears. "I-I think you can move now Inuyasha. Just go really slow, ok?" He opened golden eyes to meet her deep brown in the dark of the room. He saw a tentative smile on her face and returned it carefully. Moving his hips back as slowly as he could and then moving them forward with equal care proved to be all right. Kagome chewed her lip but when he tried it again her response was much better.

The pitter-patter of the rain outside, the wind through the trees and the roll of thunder in the distance created a background to the sighs and moans of the two lovers. Their bodies twined around one another as their passion ebbed and flowed like the tide, building into something explosive. Finally a cry was ripped from Kagome but muffled against the shoulder of her hanyou and a growl was his response as he felt her body pull him even closer, pushing him over the edge of his control. Losing themselves in one another they felt they had touched the stars while staying within one another's arms. Inuyasha panted heavily as he attempted to regain his senses, smothering Kagome with kisses. Carefully, so as not to dislodge her, he rolled so that he was on his back and Kagome lay on his chest. His tongue worked over the small mark he had left in her shoulder from his fangs, feeling his aura surrounding and imbedded in the mark. She was his mate now, whether or not she knew or liked it.

A frown worked its way onto his face. He hadn't meant to do it but whether or not he'd meant it, the mark was there to stay while she would remain his until the day he died. Even though he was disappointed in his lack of self-control, and felt guilty for not asking Kagome's permission, he was secretly happy that Kagome was now his mate. Still, he had to tell her what he'd done. "Kagome… I bit…I marked you." She grunted and laughed softly, nodding that she knew. "Do you know what that means?" A soft smile lit her face and she touched his cheek.

"How long have we been friends Inuyasha? Of course I know." The shock was more than apparent in his face. He seemed confused and Kagome wasn't sure why. "Did you think I would be mad or something?" she asked with a teasing smile. Inuyasha sputtered for a few moments, unable to come up with the words he felt he needed to explain his worry. She lowered her lips to cover his working mouth, to impede his silent protests. He was frozen for all of a second before eagerly responding to her questing lips and tongue. "I happily accept your claim for as long as you choose to keep it, holding you close to my heart for as long as you allow me to."

The ancient words falling from his love's lips, translated slightly to fit her own taste, sent a shiver of delight down Inuyasha's spine. "Since you accept, my claim remains until I can no longer protect that which I have taken to cherish as my own," he responded without hesitation. Kagome smiled brightly down at him, her brown eyes glinting with unsuppressed excitement. "You've been talking to Rin, haven't you?" he scolded her though he couldn't hide his pleased tone.

She gave a light shrug, not denying or asserting his accusation that she'd gotten information from his half-brother's ward, before laying her head on his chest and reveling in the reassurance of his heartbeat next to her ear. She felt him reach for something before the blanket he'd given her earlier slid across her naked back to cover them both. A content sigh spilled from her lips as his arms once again came around her, cradling her close to his heart. "I love you." Her whisper was met by a soft chuckle as well as Inuyasha's lips against her hair.

"Love you too Kagome. Until the end."

Ta daa! Much fluff and sappy nothingness. I hate my own overactive imagination sometimes. Anyway, please review if you feel it worth your while. Yay for editing! TTFN, Dawnrider31


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